Big Ben, London
The Elizabeth Tower stands high above the Palace of Westminster. But on top of the world-renowned huge clock tower sits a more famous and equally enormous landmark, the massive bell Big Ben. Big Ben is the nickname given to the Great Bell.
I have listed 13 top facts you must know about Big Ben.
13 Top Facts You Must Know About Big Ben
1. The name "Big Ben" refers only to the clock tower's biggest bell
At some point in time, London's beloved clock tower somehow acquired the now famous nickname Big Ben, which was originally given just to the biggest of the clock's 5 bells. Known also as the Great Bell, Big Ben height is over 7 feet tall, measures 9 feet in diameter, and weighs almost 14 tons. The E-natural giant leads a group of 4 quarter bells, chiming either G-sharp, B-natural, F-sharp, or E-natural tones.
2. Big Ben's clock tower has bored many names
Although the Big Ben nickname has stuck, the tower has assumed its own official name. For most of its life, the massive landmark was just known as the Clock Tower, except it was typically referred to as St. Stephen's Tower.
In 2012, the building bore a new name, Elizabeth Tower, because of the celebration of Queen Elizabeth ll's 60-year reign. Also, the clock itself is called the Great Clock of Westminster.
3. The bell got its name from a famous Ben
The original "Ben" lending his name to this bell still remains a mystery. The main source of inspiration is Sir Benjamin Hall, who was a 19th century politician and engineer and a famously big gentleman. The story relates, Hall delivered a lengthy speech on the subject of what the bell ought to be called, provoking a colleague to say, "Why not call him Big Ben and have done with it?" So, Hall's name is etched on the bell, supporting this theory.
The second and more popular theory is that the bell assumed its name from Benjamin Caunt, who was a 19th century champion heavyweight bare-knuckle boxer.
4. The clock's movements were designed by a lawyer & an astronomer
Though you may think that the English government would've given the job of building such an ambitious timekeeper to the country's best clockmakers, the pair who designed the clock weren't trained horologists. Royal Astronomer Sir George Biddell Airy detailed the clock's specifications, and politician, railway promoter, and lawyer Sir Edmund Beckett Denison designed the movement.
5. The clockmaker invented an entirely new mechanical system
The lawyer hired genuine clockmaker Edward John Dent to materialize Beckett Denison's design in 1852, except that the clockmaker died only one year prior to completing the project. The task went to the clockmaker's stepson, Frederick Rippon Dent. Using Beckett Denison's design, Frederick constructed the double 3-legged gravity escapement which would become the new standard for clock tower design.
6. Only UK residents can enter the tower
Even though Big Ben has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in England, foreign visitors are not permitted to enter the tower. As of 2010, just UK residents could take the tour, but even then, a Member of Parliament of the House of lords must sponsor them!
7. Getting to the clock itself requires a rather steep climb
Anyone who is fortunate enough to be allowed to check out Big Ben in person must do some climbing; since there exists no elevator, the only way up to the belfry level happens to be a 334-step spiral staircase.
8. It took over a day to carry Big Ben to the belfry
If you think a couple of hundreds of steps appear a lot to manage, just imagine doing the trip with an enormous 14-ton bell! It was just after the first Great Bell was cast--and shortly replaced after cracking during the testing--that the laborers tasked with its hauling to its permanent location in the belfry realized that it was a little too wide for a simple ascent to the structure's narrow stairwell. Only with some exact angling, hoisting the massive bell up the high climb was even possible, though not easy. From onset to completion, the whole job consumed 30 hours.
9. The tower leans a bit northwest
Throughout its 160-year-old lifespan, Big Ben has taken on an observable tilt. Today, the famous clock tower leans around a foot and a half off center, towards northwestward. The chief theory for this is the drying out condition of the London clay under the tower.
10. A pile of coins works in keeping the clock on point
Dodging highly advanced methods for precise timekeeping, the defiant Big Ben depends on a much simpler approach: seated forever atop the bell's swinging pendulum you'll see a pile of discontinued British pennies. The sheer weight of these pennies balances the pendulum's center of mass, guaranteeing a constant swing rate and steady timekeeping. The elimination or subtraction of one single penny can change the clock's projection by only 0.4 seconds per day.
11. The famous landmark went incognito during wartime
Generally, Big Ben shines as England's pride together with its loud rings. But during war times, the clock tower went into hiding, reducing its light and even deafening its bells to avoid enemy attack on the Houses of Parliament.
12. German bombs didn't stop Big Ben's ticking
Although the English did everything not to draw attention to Big Ben, the German military managed to learn of its whereabouts. In 1941, a sudden Nazi raid on Parliament destroyed the House of Commons chamber and damaged Big Ben's dials and roof. Despite the Commons requiring complete reconstruction, the clock continued working during the whole ordeal.
13. Big Ben failed to operate properly due to a flock of birds
In 1949, the defiant clock would meet its match, greater than the German: a flock of starlings. In August, some birds chose to perch on the clock's minute hand. The copper appendage lured enough birds that their total weight slowed Big Ben's clockwork by over four and a half minutes. Staff corrected the error in only hours.
